Abstract: A deployed L-shaped rack structure interengaged with a self-elevating vessel is used for supporting a feeder transport vessel, such as an ocean or sea barge, to eliminate relative motion or movement between the vessels. Some of the proposed rack structures are movable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The method of use for the movable rack structures includes the self-elevating vessel arriving at a predetermined location, elevating the hull of the self-elevating to a suitable height above the sea surface at a desired still water line (SWL) to create an air gap, and then deploying the rack structure. A feeder transport vessel, with its cargo and/or components, can then be floated over the deployed rack structure. The self-elevating vessel then uses its jacking system including a plurality of legs supported on the seabed to raise the feeder transport vessel and its cargo and/or components to a desired height above the SWL.

Abstract: The systems and methods for assembling and installing multiple wind turbines from a single vessel are provided. Generally, the different embodiments use wind turbine components on the vessel that include blades, a nacelle assembly having a rotating hub, and a tower. A Turbine Installation Gantry System (T.I.G.S.) embodiment uses a gantry system having a truss sub-structure and at least one bridge crane on the elevated vessel for assembling the wind turbine blades on board to the nacelle hub supported above the seabed. A Skidding Turbine Installation Crane (S.T.I.C.) embodiment has a rotatable crane mounted on a skidding pedestal or cantilever structure to provide full access to the vessel deck and the blades outboard of the vessel for assembling each of the blades with the assembled nacelle assembly outboard. A Turbine Assembly and Positioning System (T.A.P.S.

Abstract: An epicyclic gear assembly has a plurality of planetary gear sets secured in a carrier. Each planetary gear set has a planet gear supported by a planet shaft, the planet shaft having its opposite ends supported within the carrier, the planet shaft being capable of defecting along at least a part of its length when the gear assembly is subject to torsional and rotational loads.

Abstract: An epicyclic gear assembly has a central toothed sun gear unit mounted on a carrier plate and plurality of planetary gear sets surrounding the central gear in torque-transmitting relationship. Each of the planetary gear sets has a toothed planet gear supported by a planet shaft, the first end of which is cantilevered from the carrier plate. A second end of the planet shaft supports the planet gear. A double-tapered concave middle portion of the planet shaft allows flexing of the shaft so as to facilitate elastic deflection of the planet shaft while distributing load between the planet gear sets. The outer circumference of the middle portion has a pair of spaced outwardly convex protrusions formed between the first end and the second end.

Abstract: A semi-submersible floating production vessel which has a ring pontoon. Three main columns extend upwardly from corners of the pontoon and three secondary, minor columns. extend upwardly from centers of the triangle sides. The columns are surrounded with fenders for protecting the columns from impact with floating bodies. The columns support an open frame deck, on which production modules are positioned. The vessel is adapted for semi-permanent mooring with pre-tensioned mooring lines that are attached to swivel padeyes secured on the main columns below the water line. Production and export risers are connected to the vessel below the water line. Compressed air ballast system allows selective emptying of ballast compartments located in the ring pontoon and eliminates the need for a conventional pump room.

Abstract: A pipe handling system is designed for use on an offshore structure, particularly an offshore structure provided with a cantilevered drill floor. The pipe handling system allows to handle significantly longer sections of tubulars, up to 100 feet, if necessary. The pipe handling system transports the pipes from a horizontal pipe rack adjacent to a drill floor to a vertical orientation in a set-back area of the drill floor where the drill string or casing is made up for lowering down hole. The cantilevered drill floor allows to save valuable platform space, while not significantly increasing the cost of the drilling rig. The pipe handling system, while increasing the length of handled tubulars, reduces the number of joints for making of a drill string, thereby significantly reducing the cost of pipe handling operations.

Abstract: An inverted pedestal crane has a base mountable to an underside of a horizontal support structure, such as for example a rig floor. A crane pedestal extends downwardly from the base, and a boom connects pivotally to the pedestal. The pedestal and the crane base rotate about a vertical axis, while the boom moves pivotally in relation to the pedestal. The crane has one main and a pair of auxiliary hydraulic rams for moving the boom during load handling operations. A robust slew bearing assembly mounted above the crane pedestal allows rotation of the base and the pedestal. The slew bearing assembly has a pair of parallel plates, a plurality of centering rollers and a plurality of stabilizing rollers mounted adjacent to an outer circumference of the parallel plates, between the plates. A winch assembly is mounted on top of the base, the winch assembly carrying a cable that extends over a pulley secured to a free end of the boom.

Abstract: The invention relates to a semi-submersible vessel designed to operate in harsh environment. The vessel has a twin-hull pontoon structure that supports four corner caissons extending vertically from the pontoons above an operational draft of the vessel. A pair of slender parallel horizontal braces connects each pair of opposing caissons, the braces extending in a general plane perpendicular to longitudinal axes of the pontoons. One of the pair of braces is secured between the forward columns and another of the pair of braces is secured between the aft columns. The braces reduce spreading and torque-induced forces acting on the columns, while not substantially increasing water plane area of the vessel. Each brace has an internal “redundancy” feature, being divided into two independent watertight compartments to continue providing buoyancy to the structure if one of the compartments is breached.

Abstract: A “frozen” rack chock of a jack-up rig is released by a moving force imparted on the rack chock by a worm gear assembly. The worm gear assembly has a tooth wheel with a plurality of teeth and a worm gear member provided with a worm thread that engages the teeth for transmitting rotational force from a drive motor to the tooth wheel. A shaft of the tooth wheel is operationally connected to the rack chock to cause disengagement of the rack chock from the contact surface of a leg chord when the tooth wheel is rotated.

Abstract: A system for making a "jack-up" rig with its jacked-up legs and hull rigid and fixed together by the use of "rack chock" elements which are designed to absorb the maximum axial chord loading on the legs and transmit them directly into the hull. The "rack chock" elements are configured preferrably with a number of matching teeth for exact, in-line engagement with the legs' rack teeth, and are capable of being adjusted for vertical alignment and horizontal positioning to mate with the rack teeth position. By a series of screw jacks and/or secondary chocks, the "rack chock" elements provide rigid contact with both the legs and the hull structure and eliminate the requirement for the jack pinions to take the load (as is done in the prior art) in either jacked-up or ocean-tow dispositions.